Carolyn cheats on her psychology exam but not on her calculus exam. She explains this by saying, "I know that cheating is wrong but I have to cheat on my psychology exam because the teacher is incredibly unfair in expecting us to remember so much material." According to psychoanalytic theory, Carolyn's reasoning about cheating on her psychology exam reflects which defense mechanism?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carolyn's explanation for her cheating behavior is an example of rationalization, which is a defense mechanism where individuals justify or make excuses for their actions in order to protect themselves from anxiety or guilt. In this case, Carolyn is justifying her cheating behavior by blaming it on the unfairness of the teacher's expectations.

Carolyn Cheats on Her Psychology Exam but Not on Her